Well, we have to be careful in our understanding of the Bible. But here in this verse it is the Lord God who is providing coates of skins and clothed Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had tried to cover themselves with the leaves of fig trees. But leaves get dried and cannot be used as clothes conveniently for longer. So God provided them a good quality of clothes, that may last longer.

The Lord God had already completed the work of creation, and it is unlikely that he would for this purpose create out of nothing a big sheet of skins, or even coates of skins right away out of nothing to cloth for Adam and Eve! So people have come to presume the killing of some animal. If we turn to the New Testament, we see what diifferent applications of the first man have been put forward by Paul and other NT writers. They did that to explain and elucidate the plan and principles of redemption.(What did lead Abel to kill animal? Where did he learn that from?)

Can we not see something of that sort? Man cannot cover his sin (Nakedness) by his own efforts, but that a real covering( in Hebrew the word for propitaition has the meaning of covering)is provided by sacrificial death of the lamb of God? In Old Testament, we have the types and antitypes, shadow of things to come. This is endorded in NT. From the time of fall of man, God is pointing to the sacrifial death of our Lord Jesus Christ for the propitation of the sins of the world.

Commentary by Jayant Christian
Posted on: 1/14/2010 11:12 am

Wow! Thanks Don. I never realized that either. I have read that verse so many times and read many commentaries on how it was the first saccrifice ever made by God Himself killing animals to clothe His beloveds. I never realized He could’ve simply skinned a sheep or a goat. You’re right nowhere does it state there was an actual killing involved. Thanks for the realization.

Commentary by Polet
Posted on: 10/28/2009 05:24 am

that’s a good point. I’ve heard one preacher goes so far as to state from the pulpit that the “two animals” that God killed, no longer exist, they are now extinct. you have to make a lot of assumptions to come to that conclusion.

Commentary by Jason
Posted on: 10/16/2009 02:56 am

I have read many commentaries re. this verse. Most state an assumption that God killed an animal (or animals) for these skins. BUT the text does not include this assumption. We are only three chapters into God’s Word. Have we forgotten the miracles of creation already? Why should otherwise reputable commentators make this assumption AND THEN ADD TO THE TEXT? From Old Testament to Revelation we are severely warned (with threats of the imposition of curses) we are warned about adding to or taking away pices of God’s Word. Incidently, in extreme contrast, the writer of Genesis was VERY explicit concerning the death of an animal in the very next chapter (4 vs.2 - 5) He must have had reason in not being so in 3v21 but we shouldnt speculate on this either!!

Commentary by Don Coppock
Posted on: 10/15/2009 09:50 am